God is in charge

To the editor:

I ran across a meditation in the July issue of Magnificat magazine that I would like to share. It’s by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the Papal household. As a Lutheran convert it caught my attention.

I quote: "Martin Luther criticized Erasmus of Rotterdam for remaining in the Catholic church despite its corruption, but Erasmus answered him: 'I put up with this church in the hope that one day it will become better, just as it is constrained to put up with me in the hope that one day I will become better.' "

Father Raniero continues: "We should ask Christ to forgive all of our inconsiderate judgments and the many offenses we heap upon his bride, and as a result upon him as well.

Once you have…wept with the church, once you have humbled yourself at its feet, God can command you, as he has done in the past, to raise your voice against "the wounds of the church". "But not before."

Over these past few months, especially, much has been reported in the media, secular as well as Catholic, about the "sins" of the church. The secular media, I believe, for the most part is woefully ignorant of not only what the church teaches, but why she does so. Catholics on the other hand have no excuse. From the writings of the early church and church fathers, to the present time and the catechism, documents of the church and their source, and the extensive published works of Pope Benedict XVI. If we care to look.

As Psalm 46:10 reminds us: "Be still, and know that I am God". Let us trust that God is in charge and that his will, will be done.

Gail Bryant
Rochester

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